Debian And Ubuntu Legacy Desktop Unofficial Packages For Bittorrent Sync

[tuxpoldo]

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

 

The new full featured BitTorrent Sync GUI for Linux has been released! If you want to switch or are a new user, you should look at this posting. In future btsync-user may be replaced by the new btsync-gui.

BTSYNC PACKAGES FOR DEBIAN, UBUNTU AND OTHER DERIVED DISTRIBUTIONS

If you are using Ubuntu, Debian, Raspian or other derived distributions based on Debian and you are searching for an easy way to deploy BitTorrent Sync on your systems, this topic is definitively for you. Here you will find information about a family of easy to install deb-packages that offers both a solution for the need of typical server/cloud operators as for interactive users.

The desktop user packages are explicitly intended for desktop usage and provide a user experience similar to BitTorrent Sync on Windows or Mac OSX by still giving the user the possibility to customise his installation if he has special needs.

The server packages offer full debconf-support for the automated creation and maintenance of an optional default configuration as well as the possibility to manually configure single or multiple BitTorrent Sync instances with highly customised configurations.

This topic covers only the desktop user packages. If you are searching for the server packages, please look here.

THESE PACKAGES ARE UNOFFICIAL AND NOT THE WORK OF BITTORRENT® INC. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE BITTORRENT® INC. SUPPORT WITH QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE USE OF THE PACKAGES. YOU WILL FIND COMPETENT HELP AND SUPPORT IN THIS THREAD

INSTALLATION ON DEBIAN, UBUNTU, LINUX MINT, RASPBIAN OR OTHER DEBIAN DERIVATES

The most easy and fast way to install the repository is to paste that at a terminal prompt:

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL http://debian.yeasoft.net/add-btsync-repository.sh)"

The script explains what it will do and then pauses before it does it asking for your permission. If you encounter any problems or prefer to do it manually, please look here.

Now update the package index and install btsync by pasting that at a terminal prompt:

`which sudo` apt-get update`which sudo` apt-get install btsync-user

After the successful installation, you have to initially start BitTorrent Sync. You have different possibilities to do this:

• Log out and login again. Since BitTorrent Sync is started on logon, it will start automatically.
• Select BitTorrent Sync from the menu or Unity-Launcher
• Start it from the terminal prompt by issuing the command:

btsync start

USAGE NOTES

This package of BitTorrent Sync is explicitly intended for generic desktop usage and provide a user experience similar to BitTorrent Sync on Windows or Mac OSX: When the user logs in, an instance of BitTorrent Sync is automatically launched under the user's credentials and a tray applet is launched to show the status and manage the running instance.

By default the user instance has an automatical created configuration file in ~/.config/btsync/btsync-auto.conf and keeps its internal data in the directory ~/.btsync

A user specific desktop shortcut to the web UI is installed into the system. Since every user has it's web UI on a different port number, only the desktop shortcut or the indicator applet should be used to invoke the web UI.

In order to give more freedom to the advanced user, there is also a possibility to launch BitTorrent Sync with a custom configuration file instead of the automatically created file: the startup routine of BitTorrent Sync checks, if there is a file named btsync-user.conf in the configuration directory ~/.config/btsync of the user. If this file is found, then it is used as configuration file. If not, BitTorrent Sync uses the automatically created default configuration file ~/.config/btsync/btsync-auto.conf that will be recreated on every restart.

The most easy way to create a custom configuration file, is to create a copy of the automatically created configuration file and then to edit it according to your needs:

cp ~/.config/btsync/btsync-auto.conf ~/.config/btsync/btsync-user.confnano -w ~/.config/btsync/btsync-user.conf

When you are ready with your modifications, you can restart BitTorrent Sync by executing:

btsync restart

on the command line.

In addition to the desktop shortcuts and menu functions in the indicator applet, BitTorrent Sync can also be controlled from the command line using the tool btsync. The tool provides usage instructions by issuing the command:

btsync -h

More comprehensive help can be found on the corresponding manpage:

man btsync

COMPATIBILITY

The legacy desktop packages are available for the same architectures as released by BitTorrent Inc.:

• i386 Intel/AMD 32 Bit
• amd64 Intel/AMD 64 Bit
• armel ARM EABI
• armhf ARM hard float
• powerpc PowerPC

Since the packages still have not been tested with KDE, LXDE, Cinnamon and Linux Mint, any related feedback is highly appreciated.

BUG REPORTS, CONTRIBUTION AND SOURCES

If you want to contribute to the development of the packages or if you are curious how this all works, you may find the current sources of the deployment scripts and packaging on GitHub under the following URL: https://github.com/tuxpoldo/btsync-deb

The full source of the great indicator applet written by Mark Johnson, is also hosted on GitHub and can be found under the following URL: https://github.com/marxjohnson/btsyncindicator

If you have experienced a reproducible issue that is related to the packaging and not to BitTorrent Sync itself you are strongly encouraged to open an issue on the project's GitHub Page. Issues related to the indicator should be reported on the indicator's GitHub page. Issues related to the native functionality of BitTorrent Sync should rather by creating a new topic or partecipating to an already existing topic in the BitTorrent Sync Forum.

Edited March 21, 2014 by tuxpoldo

[GreatMarko]

Thanks for your efforts, tuxpoldo! - this topic is now also linked from the Unofficial FAQ

[lecturesnippets]

I put together a video on installing the BitTorrent Sync in Ubuntu 13.04. The video is at

and I I took the approach from the user guide but then also added the app to the startup applications and also turned on the firewall to block port 8888 since everyone on LAN had access to web gui.

Love this software so far and look forward to future releases as I have already began switching files from Google Drive to this approach

Cheers,

Matthew Penning

http://lecturesnippets.com/bittorent-sync/

[tuxpoldo]

I put together a video on installing the BitTorrent Sync in Ubuntu 13.04. The video is at xxxx and I I took the approach from the user guide but then also added the app to the startup applications and also turned on the firewall to block port 8888 since everyone on LAN had access to web gui.

Nice video, but a little bit off topic in this thread since the thread is related to packages for Ubuntu and Debian that do all of this automatically: you have not to care about creating a config file, starting the software manually, securing it with a firewall (since the version installed by the ubuntu packages configures the software to be accessible only from local machine), etc.

Your video shows an installation from scratch and for this reason I would suggest that you open a separate topic to announce it since people would more likely search directly for this useful information.

[tuxpoldo]

Packages updated to 1.0.134

[tuxpoldo]

ADVISORY:

Due to a serious bug in the installation and uninstallation routine of version 1.0.134-1 of the btsync-user packages, the software will not start and (sorry for that !) will also not uninstall or update.

PLEASE SKIP THIS (1.0.134-1) VERSION!

An update (1.0.132-2) has already been built and is available in this moment for Debian. Since the build machines on Launchpad are quite busy, the Ubuntu versions will be available in a few hours from now. In the meantime the defect Ubuntu archives have been revoked in order to avoid further installations.

If you already have installed btsync-user version 1.0.134-1, you must apply the following workaround before updating or uninstalling the broken package:

# move to your home directory
cd
# launch btsync as the start script should have done it
/usr/lib/btsync/btsync-agent --config /etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf

Explanation: The broken package installed btsync-agent in the wrong location. For this reason the agent is not automatically started when logging in. Since the uninstall/update routine of the package tries to stop the agent (but it does not find it in the expected location) the agent must be started manually before updating.

I apologize for any inconvenient.

[knireis]

I tried this version on debian wheezy, first i purged the previous 'server' version. It seems to install fine, but during install there is not the configuration steps. It does not start either.

As i just noticed your message above i tried to run the commands but i get an error:

laptop ~ # /usr/lib/btsync/btsync-agent --config /etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf

bash: /usr/lib/btsync/btsync-agent: file or folder does not exist

[tuxpoldo]

I tried this version on debian wheezy, first i purged the previous 'server' version. It seems to install fine, but during install there is not the configuration steps. It does not start either.

As i just noticed your message above i tried to run the commands but i get an error:

laptop ~ # /usr/lib/btsync/btsync-agent --config /etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf

bash: /usr/lib/btsync/btsync-agent: file or folder does not exist

That's ok, since you had not previously installed the broken package version. The location in the specified command was the location of the badly installed binary. BTsync is started automatically on login. I cannot launch the app from the DEB package, since the installation is done under root permissions and it would be started as root, but it must run under the users credentials - for this reason you have to log out and log in again. Then BTsync is started automatically, since the application is registered as autostarted application.

Perhaps I should add a dialog telling the user that he has to logout and login again in order to start BTsync?

BTW: if you want to start it manually after the first installation:

# go to you home directory
cd
# and start it from there
/usr/lib/btsync-user/btsync-agent --config /etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf

[knireis]

When i start it manual, i get an error saying: Can't lock pid file. It seems BitTorrent Sync is already running with pid 3393

But on 127.0.0.1:8888 there is nothing.

During install there is also no configuration screen displayed as was the case with the btsync version (which i had installed earlier.)

[tuxpoldo]

When i start it manual, i get an error saying: Can't lock pid file. It seems BitTorrent Sync is already running with pid 3393

That's correct, As I told you in my previous post AND in the original message ("When installed, an instance of BitTorrent Sync will automatically start when the user logs in."), btsync is started automatically when you log in. You do not need to start it manually. The only reason to start btsync manually, is to do it immediately after installation, since the installation program does not start it.

But on 127.0.0.1:8888 there is nothing.

Also this is correct. The desktop version hosts the configuration on a different port number in order to keep the possibility open to run both a user and a server version. As I wrote in the original message ("The BitTorrent Sync management interface is made available as a normal application icon in the desktop environment.") you can launch the web ui from unity. Look:

This icon launches the web ui. But if you prefer to enter it manually in your browser: http://localhost:9999

During install there is also no configuration screen displayed as was the case with the btsync version (which i had installed earlier.)

Also this is correct, There is nothing to configure during the installation. You customise everything through the web ui.

[affinity]

Love this software so far and look forward to future releases as I have already began switching files from Google Drive to this approach

Hey, someone who says "cut, then copy" big plus 1 there!!!! Most people say copy and paste when they do cut and paste anyway.

Thanks for that. Otherwise, the video was pretty much basic stuff, but good just the same.

[TheDurtch]

I am having a problem Syncing using this install method. I am using a fresh install of mint 15 (just like Ubuntu 13.04). sync sees my cousins computer but just sits there and doesn't sync at all.

[qcbqoucq]

There is nothing to configure during the installation. You customise everything through the web ui.

so there is no way make an UI password or enable LAN encryption (as i did manualy through config file before) if i install BTsync this way?

[tuxpoldo]

so there is no way make an UI password or enable LAN encryption (as i did manualy through config file before) if i install BTsync this way?

Obviously there is a way. You can manually edit the config file located in /etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf

The reason I decided not to ask for a username and password for the user version, is that also the windows and mac versions do not ask for credentials when opening the UI. Since the web ui is not reachable from outside ("listen" : "127.0.0.1:9999"), I see no real security implication in this, but if you like, you can still enable the asking for credentials by adding it manually to the config file.

Enabling LAN encryption can also be done in the config file - since I added no specific option to enable it in the server version, I suppose that you enabled it manually also in the server version. I think that enabling LAN encryption may be a good default option. According to the manual on page 10, it seems already to be enabled by default.

[tuxpoldo]

I am having a problem Syncing using this install method. I am using a fresh install of mint 15 (just like Ubuntu 13.04). sync sees my cousins computer but just sits there and doesn't sync at all.

On one of my test machines running under Ubuntu 13.04, I have the same problem. I already sent the debug files to the BitTorrent developer team. As soon as I got some answer, I will let you know.

p.S.: I found some hint what's happening - It seems that this strange misbehaviour is caused by some environmental factors. I'm testing...

[tuxpoldo]

OK - I found the cause of the problem. Basically it is due to the fact, that btsync is not able to wirk properly with a relative path set in the "storage_path" variable. This makes it impossible to wirk with a central configuration file for all users. But I know how to fix this. The next version will solve that problem.

[tuxpoldo]

Version 1.0.134-3 is ready. All Debian builds are now online. Ubuntu builds are on the way and should be online in about 1-2 hours.

[TheDurtch]

it is still not syncing.

last thing in log

[20130420 22:04:31] BAN peer: Responsible for 'magnet (8c218676b9572c5284fd9f1e5df7cd44c4725734)' metadata not being loaded!
[20130420 22:04:31] Banned 207.***.***.***:43430 until forever

and nothing else.

I have haven't modified anything

[tuxpoldo]

it is still not syncing.

Please check the following:

1. Is btsync running with the generated configuration file? Test it with the command ps ax | grep btsync-agent You should see something like /usr/lib/btsync-user/btsync-agent --config /home/YOURNAME/.btsync.conf
   
2. Check that all paths specified in the configuration file .btsync.conf in your home directory are correct - especially the storage_path
   

If not 1: do you have logged out and logged in again after updating?

[TheDurtch]

I get this with your command

USERNAME@Kate ~ $ ps ax | grep btsync-agent
2385 ?	    Ssl    0:00 /usr/lib/btsync-user/btsync-agent --config /etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf
3063 pts/0    S+	 0:00 grep --colour=auto btsync-agent

so it looks like i am using "/etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf"

it contains.

  GNU nano 2.2.6								   File: /etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf																			 
//!/usr/lib/btsync-user/btsync-agent --config
//
// configuration for the btsync agent running in the
// user environment
{
	    "pid_file" : ".btsync.pid",
	    "storage_path" : ".btsync",
	    "listening_port" : 0,
	    "check_for_updates" : false,
	    "use_upnp" : true,
	    "download_limit" : 0,
	    "upload_limit" : 0,
	    "webui" :
	    {
			    "listen" : "127.0.0.1:9999"
	    }
}

the version i am using

I got rid of all configs and did a fresh install and rebooted for good measure and still nothing. it's just sitting there connected but not syncing at all.

[tuxpoldo]

I get this with your command

2385 ?	 Ssl 0:00 /usr/lib/btsync-user/btsync-agent --config /etc/btsync-user/btsync-user.conf

OK! Thanks - found the error - the script of the build machine did not copy one important file. I'm fixing it - In about an hour the new version should be on.

[tuxpoldo]

Version 1.0.134-4 is ready. All Debian builds are now online. Ubuntu builds are on the way and should be online in about 2 hours.

[nellie4568]

Thank you so much for these packages! Running perfectly on a raspberry pi.

[TheDurtch]

OK! Thanks - found the error - the script of the build machine did not copy one important file. I'm fixing it - In about an hour the new version should be on.

Sweet!!!! That fixed it! Thank you so much!!

[TheDurtch]

What's new about 1.0.134-5?